Hardware

Question

I need help!!! =[

Hello... Im trying to reformat my step dads computer. It has windows XP, which was recently reformatted off of a partition located on the computer. The partition, I believe, was corrupted at 1 time, and gives multiple errors dealing with the SVCHost and other critical processes. Instead of trying to fix this, I figured lets try reformattin from a boot disc.

So I went ahead and got a windows XP boot disc, with SP2 already installed.. burnt it... And tried to use it.

The result : Restarted the computer, inserted the disc, and set the computer up to boot from disc. It doesn't do anything, except sit on a black screen and it has a blinking underscore. I let the computer sit for about 15 minutes like this.

I know the Boot disc works, as I recently used the EXACT same disc(Same disc i burned...) to reformat/reinstall windows xp on another machine. The machine with the working XP runs perfectly fine, and I had no problems with installation.

Its like the boot disc is trying to boot, but fails with no kind of error reporting. Please Help.. =[

PS. The system specs are below for the computer that won't boot(Let me know if you need more information)...

All Answers

"burnt it... And tried to use it." ...

What do you mean you "got a windows XP boot disc, with SP2 already installed.. burnt it... And tried to use it." - Why don't you have the disc that came with the machine?

Also "Restarted the computer, inserted the disc, and set the computer up to boot from disc." ~ This is all arse over t|t. If you restart the PC and THEN put the install disc in, it'll NEVER boot from it.

I'm curious as to why your are trying to install from an ISO of a boot disc that came from somewhere, rather than using the bespoke install disc that came with the computer?

You cannot have a common install disc and just go around willy-nilly installing with it whenever and wherever you choose to. I dare say you cannot even declare that this ISO is a genuine installer.

indeed.. but...

HP doesn't include discs with thier computers, instead they have Parition(usally d:/, called recovery).. And as I stated it was currupted before formatting came up.

And the 'common disc' that you are referring to is a Windows XP boot disc MADE from another XP machine. I do know it works, because <b>I installed it(The EXACT SAME DISC) on another machine with no problems</b>... Thus meaning(at least to me) that it works...

And by the 'REstarted computer.. then inserted disc..' It wasn't the order I did it.. I restarted, inserted, booted up from C:, Then restarted again WITH disc in the drive...

If the installation disc was the problem, I would of never posted here(I'm a hobbiest programmer.. So I know most common troubleshooting methods). Thats why I came for help...

On the very first boot, an HP unit invites the user ...

To create a set of Recovery Discs, which includes the reinstall recovery disc.

I've seen users complain that HP doesn't supply an install disc, then when I ask them if they made a recovery disc on their initial boot they mumble something about "Yeah I saw that screen come up but just ignored it..."

That's the usual response which usually ellicits a gasp of despair from me.

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